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Dressire x Designers : Aroosa by Arina Sethi

Aroosa by Arina Sethi is an experiment in collective style carrying Ready to Wear and Contemporary Apparels with handcrafted texture to design a piece of clothing for every story.

What sparked your interest in fashion?

I think to work in fashion was more my destiny than anything else. As a child, I have closely watched my parents work in the fashion industry in Kuwait where they have designed beautiful clothing and scarves for the ultra sophisticated Middle Eastern women, who love glamour and luxury and always want to be distinguished from the others. They love exploring new trends in fashion and restyle their wardrobe every season.

On completion of my undergraduate degree in Finance and Business Marketing from York University Toronto (Canada), I decided to pursue a diploma in Fashion Designing at Pearl Academy of Fashion, New Delhi. Along with this theoretical knowledge and practical experience from my family business, I designed a few dresses for myself on which I gained a lot of appreciation by my friends and family and that’s when I discovered that I had a talent.

What is the inspiration behind your designs?

I believe in order to draw inspiration, one need not always look at tangible things, it could also come from one’s dreams and fantasies. For me, it was watching beautiful women at The Red Carpet events flaunting their sophisticated looks in their perfect garments with refined details that had sparked the idea of AROOSA in my mind.

With AROOSA , I want to introduce to the Indian market a fusion of the Cosmopolitan European along with the sophisticated and contemporary Middle Eastern aesthetics, using fabric with exceptional handcrafted textures.

AROOSA is an experiment in collective style that encompasses Ready to Wear (RTW) Evening gowns along with Smart Casuals, Day and Evening Contemporary Apparels.

What are the key elements for you when designing a collection for each season?

I believe in creating personality rich clothing for women who don’t want to go unnoticed. I have set my clothing standards on 2 grounds – Simplicity and Elegance in order to make the garment wearable for every woman and at the same time adding a touch of glamour and sophistication to it.

What challenges did you face when launching your brand?

Since I have majorly lived my life in Kuwait, I found the whole working mechanism in India very challenging in terms of getting your work done efficiently and on time. Nevertheless, with continued persistence and hard work, I managed to overcome all the hurdles that I had come my way.

What are your plans for the future?

I dream of breaking into the retail sector all over India and the overseas. With the concept that we are following, we try to cater to every woman in designing a piece of clothing for every story. Our main focus for the future is to deliver quality to our esteemed clients, thereby building customer relations and getting AROOSA a valuable brand image.

What do you think are the keys to professional and business success for women in India?

Determination and hard work are very important to overcome obstacles in the Indian working environment. My mother always advised me that whatever you do, be different and if you are different then you will always stand out. Get over the stereotypical shyness and project your confidence in whatever you do.

Last but not the least, networking is very important for business startups. It gives one access to more knowledge, mentorship and exposure to potential business opportunities.

What advice would you give to young women readers who want to follow a similar career path as you?

My advice to young women is to push some boundaries, learn about the different kinds of fabric you are putting to use in order to create the exact outfit you have visualized for. Living in a culturally diverse country like India, to start up your own venture from scratch, nothing comes easy, especially for a woman. I believe one should never give up and always strive hard to achieve what they desire for. With continued dedication and hard work, success shall follow someday.

Aroosa recently exhibited their collection at the Hotel Hyatt Regency, New Delhi for an event organized by Eventique Concepts by Reema Arora.

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